1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to laser scanning units, and more particularly, to a mounting assembly for mounting a reflection mirror within a laser scanning unit, such that the reflection mirror reflects a laser beam emitted from a laser source on a photoconductive medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional laser scanning unit employed in a laser beam printer, a scanned laser beam is deflected by a reflection mirror, in order to be incident onto a photoconductive medium. The conventional laser scanning unit may be a multi-beam laser scanning unit that includes one or more reflection mirrors mounted at different angles to precisely deflect the laser beam onto the photoconductive medium.
In general, a reflection mirror is secured at a particular angle on a housing structure within the conventional laser scanning unit by using conventional metal fittings, such as clips. Specifically, end portions of the reflection mirror are fixed on the housing structure by the conventional metal fittings screwed to within the housing structure. Further, securing of the reflection mirror at the particular angle on the housing structure using the conventional metal fittings involves a multiplicity of operation steps. For example, these include a setting of the reflection mirror on the housing structure, and setting at least two metal fittings that support the end portions of the reflection mirror for setting the reflection mirror on the mounting structure at the particular angle. Moreover, adjustment of the reflection mirror on the housing structure may be required in order to properly position the reflection mirror on the housing structure. Accordingly, securing the reflection mirror on the housing structure using such a conventional technique involving a multiplicity of operation steps may be time-consuming and user-unfriendly.
As described above, the one or more reflection mirrors employed in the conventional laser scanning unit may be secured at different angles for accurately reflecting the scanned laser beam in the direction of the photoconductive medium. For example, the one or more reflection mirrors may be secured at angles ranging from about zero degrees to about 90 degrees. Further, each of the one or more reflection mirrors may be secured on a housing structure with the help of the conventional metal fittings. However, a metal fitting that needs to be used for securing a particular reflection mirror is selected depending on the angle at which the reflection mirror is to be mounted on a housing structure. For example, a metal fitting for securing a reflection mirror that needs to be mounted at an angle of about 10 degrees may be structurally and configurationally different from a metal fitting utilized for securing a reflection mirror that needs to be mounted at an angle of about 45 degrees. Accordingly, various types of the metal fittings are required for securing the one or more reflection mirrors at different angles on respective housing structures.
Furthermore, a reflection mirror to be mounted within the conventional laser scanning unit may deflect from a reference line during fixing of the conventional metal fittings. As a result, an inaccurate deflection of the scanned laser beam onto the photoconductive medium may occur. Moreover, disassembling of the conventional metal fittings after fixing for securing the reflection mirror may be cumbersome for a user. For example, the user may need to utilize additional tools, such as lifters, to disassemble the conventional metal fittings. Additionally, use of such tools for disassembling requires extra caution, in order to avoid damage to the one or more reflection mirrors.
Accordingly, there is a need for mounting of one or more reflection mirrors within a laser scanning unit in an effective and easy-to-use manner. Further, there is a need to preclude use of various types of metal fittings for accurately securing the one or more reflection mirrors at different angles within the laser scanning unit. Furthermore, there is a need to preclude deflection of the one or more reflection mirrors while securing the one or more reflection mirrors within the laser scanning unit. Moreover, there is a need to preclude use of additional tools for dismounting the one or more reflection mirrors from within the laser scanning unit.